Book 2: Revenge
by Obrusnine
Summary: My own interpretation of what happens after the first season. The city is reeling from Amon's failed revolution as Lin Bei Fong and the government tries to deal with the fallout. Korra tries to stay away from it and finish learning Airbending. But when it turns out Mako is being hunted by a bender with fantastic abilities from his past, the city won't be their only problem.
1. Chapter 1: Aftermath

**Hey guys, if you were a fan of my other Avatar story then you should enjoy this. Instead of in the past though, we go into the future. I know I will love all other 3 seasons of Korra, but it's rather unlikely that it will be resolved in the way I would like it to. Besides, 3 seasons based off of that finale? I see a lot of filler in our future. Do note though that I do plan to continue my other story, but the inspiration for this one was so powerful and I have so many good ideas for it that this will shift to become my main story. I also plan on doing another story I'm planning which will explore the origin of all bending.**

**So yea, here we go. Just so you know, while it apparently says that bending was restored through Energy Bending when Korra managed to connect with Aang, I think this is rather unlikely. It would make sense if it was a Chi-Blocking technique that took their bending away, but Amon used a bloodbending technique so I am inclined to believe a bloodbending technique would be required to restore it. Plus, there are some things about the Avatar universe that have never really made sense to me here, and I am going to attempt to go into those things that the show seems unlikely to explore and explain them. What I'm talking about will become clear as you read.**

**Another thing though is that from what I saw in Korra, benders of Earth (ones that don't use Metalbending), Fire, and Water seem to be delegated (as far as law enforcement goes) to what is akin to special forces and anti-terrorism units (like the US Delta Force or the UK SAS) in the real world. This explains why Tarrlock had Waterbenders with him instead of Metalbenders. This appears to be to limit destruction as they do cause lots of damage (especially normal Earthbending, even though Lin obviously felt inclined to use it if necessary), then it obviously makes sense to restrict them to jobs where their destructive bending is judged as necessary force. **

**Now let's get to the story.**

* * *

**Book 2: Revenge**

* * *

**Chapter 1: Aftermath**

* * *

Lin quietly went over her speech in her head again as she prepared to step in front of the cameras. It had been two weeks since she had gotten her bending back, but even after such a short time away from the spotlight, it was still a bit odd to have cameras turned upon her again. Still, it was her element and she would figure it out one way or another. When she was finally satisfied that her speech was memorized, she stepped up to the podium in front of City Hall and the press below her silenced as the photographers began snapping pictures.

"You will all need to hold your questions until I am done speaking. There is a lot to convey." Lin said. They remained silent as she cleared her throat to continue. "You may wonder why I'm giving this speech, as you have probably heard that I lost my bending during Amon's short-lived revolution. Some would argue that the revolution is not over with the loss of the Equalist leader, but it is. The reason is that I am delivering this speech is because Metalbender Police are still around the city keeping order, and as of yet, Chief Saikhan has yet to be found. The truth also is that Avatar Korra has restored my bending, and…"

"Where is Avatar Korra?" A man said raising a pen and interrupting the silence.

"You will need to hold your questions until she has finished." Tenzin said stepping in.

"I can handle this Tenzin." Lin responded.

"Sorry Lin."

"Now…" She continued. "…I was getting to that. First, I needed to tell you that my bending has been restored and as such, I will be resuming my post as Chief of Police effective immediately. To answer your question though, Avatar Korra is out restoring bending to those who have lost it. She is also teaching waterbender healers a technique that uses bloodbending, which is being granted an exception for this use as it restores the bending taken by Amon."

The Press looked eager to ask more, but they managed to hold their composure this time.

"There will be several changes sweeping the city and after that, the entire United Republic of Nations. This is because even with all of the hardships we have been through, we have realized that if we continue as we were, that it would not solve the problem. The most important change though is that all of the Equalists and anyone suspected of Equalist involvement… are not being held accountable for any crime they committed by Amon's command unless the atrocities they committed are of an extreme nature."

As she said this, the Press exploded with questions. She ignored them and continued her speech with a raised voice.

"As such, all Equalists are currently being released from the overloaded jails and the ships under the command of General Iroh still at dock."

They quieted down now as she continued her speech.

"Chi-Blockers who worked for the Equalists have been freed from jail will be kept under strict probation for a year. They will be observed as they go about their business and if they are associated with any criminal activity, they will be put back in jail with an extended sentence. Any Equalist deemed to have committed major atrocities during the attempted revolution will also be granted reduced sentences as long as the crimes were not committed of their own volition."

The crowd remained surprisingly silent, allowing her to lower her voice back down to a reasonable level.

"Any Chi-Blocker who was not working for the Equalists can sign up at the Police office as we start using them as a non-bending police force. Metalbenders are highly effective, but as Amon has proven, they are not infallible. This is also a gesture to all non-benders that we benders are making an effort to stem the tensions between us. As such, non-bender sports will now be conducted in the Arena alongside Pro-Bending matches. We are working with several entrepreneurs to set up Chi-Blocking schools around the city. Future Industries and its new CEO Asami Sato are working together to find ways to improve life for both benders and non-benders…"

She turned her head towards Tenzin and nodded, stepping away from the Podium as Tenzin stepped up.

"There is also more." He said. "The council position previously filled by the still missing Councilman Tarrlock will be filled by a non-bender from the Water Tribe territories. In addition, as a gesture of cooperation, I will be stepping down as the representative of the Air Nomads on the council, and the position will be filled by one of my non-bender Air Acolytes. The people filling these positions will be announced at a later date."

He granted the position back to Lin who stepped up and again cleared her throat.

"Any Equalist who successfully passes their one-year of probation will also be allowed to join the Police Force. If they were Chi-Blockers, they will be allowed to proceed with minimum training." Lin said. "In addition, our Special Bending Groups are also being augmented with Chi-Blockers and non-benders are being invited to serve both in the fleets and in superior positions in the Republic military. The groups I mentioned will also be brought to the forefront more than ever as we set up a permanent task force led by someone to be chosen at a later time to prevent anything like Amon's revolution from ever happening again.

"To anyone who has lost their bending, I urge you to seek out the waterbender healers of the city and to not bother Avatar Korra. She is teaching them the required technique and thus they should be able to restore your bending without an issue. I will now accept questions."

As soon as the last word echoed from her mouth the press exploded in a storm of questions.

"Will the Avatar be leading the task force you mentioned?"

"No." She replied.

"Will the Avatar be having any involvement in law enforcement from this point forward?" Another asked.

"That's entirely up to her."

"What will happen to Police Chief Saikhan now that you're resuming you're post?"

"He will be resuming his post as Captain I hope."

"How much does the government plan to interfere in Pro-Sports?"

"We don't plan to interfere at all, only to guide things in the right direction. Many of the executives at the Arena have already agreed to work with us towards our goals."

"Will the Special Groups start conducting more operations on lower profile criminals?"

"No, the profile of criminal they target has not changed. However their involvement has been increased which will lead to a higher number of raids and operations by them."

"How long will these changes take to spread to the rest of the United Republic of Nations?"

"I don't know. It depends on how many people are willing to accept our new laws and how fast they do so."

"What will happen to those who do not follow the new laws?"

"They will be prosecuted accordingly."

"Does this mean that the Police are becoming corrupt?"

"Absolutely not. But anyone who doesn't follow the law of the land set forth by the Council is a traitor to the entire spirit that led my mother to help found this city. To found the department I now belong to."

There had more questions. They kept at it for nearly an hour before she had finally just had enough. She excused herself and as thus ended the press conference. She retreated through the doors as the press yelled even more questions. Tenzin followed her as she walked indoors.

"Are you okay Lin?" He asked.

"I'm fine Tenzin. How many times do I need to tell you that?" Lin replied.

"I'm sorry. It's just that what you did when we were trying to escape…"

She turned to look at him.

"I get it Tenzin, you appreciate what I did. You don't own me anything."

"I feel like I do though Lin."

"It didn't work anyways." She replied turning around and starting to walk away, but he continued to follow her.

"That shouldn't matter." He said. "You sacrificed everything to protect my family, to do the job I should've been doing. You lost your bending. If Korra hadn't been able to connect with Aang, it would've been permanent…"

"It doesn't matter Tenzin. Just go home. Be with your family, your new son."

"Are you sure you don't need anything?"

"I'm sure."

"Alright. But if you ever need anything Lin…"

"I'll call you."

Tenzin nodded and left. She sighed and continued to think about how everything was changing and shifting around her. She felt she could touch it, but not interfere no matter how much she wanted to seize it.

* * *

Korra concentrated as she repeated the motion she had repeated so many times in the past two weeks. At first, she had needed to be in contact with her past lives to exercise the technique. But as she had done it more and more, it became easier for her. She took it slow so that the waterbenders observing her saw how to do it, how to exercise control over the elements of water within the human body.

It had been previously unheard of to be able to do it in the daytime. But Korra had felt Amon's bloodbending grip when he had taken her bending away. After connecting with her past lives, being able to comprehend it seemed to come easily to her. It wasn't some type of family ability that allowed Amon to do what he did, just complex control of the chi pathways throughout the body and intense concentration. The full moon usually enhanced the strength of the waterbender, flooding the chi paths usually necessary for bloodbending and making the power easy to use, which was why weaker bloodbenders needed it to use the ability.

Still though, it was a complicated thing to explain to the others, so it required several demonstrations. She sighed as she released yet another who had lost his bending to Amon. He was a firebender, and he stood up and quickly made a fire inside of his hand. He grinned and thanked her, and she nodded mechanically as he left. It had felt good the first few times, and she had relished the work. But as she had done it more and more, helped more and more people, it just became something else she did.

She of course was happy to do it. She just didn't relish the work as much as before. She was tired. Finally though, one of the other waterbenders managed to do it. She successfully restored the bending of an earthbender. It didn't take long for the others to finally master the ability, and Korra smiled at the success of their exertions.

"Well, it looks like my work here is done." Korra said smiling in a tired way. The door to the building suddenly opened and Mako stepped inside wearing his signature clothes and red scarf. He looked around until his eyes fell on her and he smiled warmly. "Mako, what are you doing here?"

"Looking for you. Making sure you're okay." He replied simply as he walked up to her.

"I can take care of myself." She said squinting.

"I know… I guess I just feel kind of responsible about it now."

"Well, don't." Korra replied smiling at him. "Still, it's a good thing you showed up, just finished. Want to go out… and I don't know… do something?"

"Uh… sure. Where do you want to go? Now that the Pro-Bending season is over it just seems kind of quiet. We've also never been out on a date before…" Mako replied.

"You're the one that lives here." She replied walking outside closely followed by him with his hands in his pocket. Naga greeted her and Korra hugged her around the neck laughing as the polar-bear dog licked her.

"I suppose that's fair…"

"Why don't we go see Asami? She moved back into her house and it may be a good idea to go talk to her."

"That might not be a good idea…" Mako said scratching his head with one hand.

"Are things still tense between you two?" Korra asked.

"Of course they are, it's only been two weeks. Not even that long since I dumped her."

"Things are so different in the city. We resolve arguments as quickly as possible back home. We can't afford to be conflicted."

"Well, not in the city. We apparently glorify conflict."

"Huh…" Korra said smirking. She shook it off and smiled before climbing into Naga's saddle. "Well, whatever, climb on. We're going to go see her anyways."

Mako sighed.

"Fine, if you say so Korra…"

"Let's go Naga!"

It did not take them long to arrive in front of the mansion. The gate was closed however, and it was like nobody was home. They found Bolin there as well.

"Hey guys." He said waving. "What are you doin here?"

"Korra insisted we come and see Asami." Mako replied.

"Yea, I came to see her to. She's been kinda angry lately. You know, between her father and um… my brother." Bolin replied.

"I'm standing right here." Mako said.

"Technically you're not standing…" He said referring to the fact that Mako was sitting in Naga's saddle. He seemed to look both ways before getting an idea. "Hey, want to see this new trick I taught Pabu? Come on buddy!"

The fire ferret crept out of his shirt to get on Bolin's head then stood up on his hind legs.

"Come on buddy, show em what I've been teaching you!"

Pabu stood on one hind leg and then switched to the other before doing a backflip off of Bolin's head to land on the ground on his forelegs before Somersaulting into a standing position and bowing in their direction with flourish.

"Good job! I knew you could do it!" Bolin praised bending down in front of him. Korra giggled.

"Yea, good one Pabu!" She said smiling.

The fire ferret jumped suddenly as a huge booming noise resounded not far away and the ground shook. He quickly jumped and crept up his master's arm and back into his shirt. Peeking out around the collar. Suddenly though, there was another boom, Pabu jumped again and went back into Bolin's shirt, and the wall next to Bolin collapsed towards him. He started to turn around to defend himself, but he was too slow. Korra reacted instantly, jumping off of Naga and raising a barrier with Earthbending to defend Bolin.

As the first rocks collided with the barrier, she pushed the rocks falling towards him away and over his head. As he realized what was happening, he quickly assisted and a dust cloud built up around them as the rocks all hit the ground. They coughed as the dust cleared and Mako was off of Naga rushing to Bolin's side.

"Hey, are you okay little bro?"

"Yea I'm fine, what was that all about?" He asked. As the dust cloud cleared, standing at the hole in the wall was Asami in one of the mechs her father had built. She had used the devices mechanical arm to break the wall. She quickly opened the cockpit as she saw them there.

"Hey what are you guys doing there?" She asked in surprise. "Are you all okay?"

"Yea, we're fine. What was all that about?" Korra asked.

"I'm making renovations." She said simply hopping out of the cockpit and onto the ground.

"Hey Asami." Mako and Bolin both said.

"Hi Bolin." Asami replied completely ignoring Mako. "Are you sure you're okay?"

"Yea, I'm fine." He said.

"Why isn't there a sign?" Mako asked. Asami rolled her eyes and pointed at a big sign painted onto the wall that said, _Construction zone, stay away._

Bolin frowned.

"Yea… I guess we should've seen that." He said.

"Hehehehe…" Korra said scratching her head with her eyes closed. "Sorry Mako."

"It's fine." He replied. "All I care about is that you're okay."

He walked up to her and hugged her. She hugged back. Asami rolled her eyes again.

"What are you guys doing here anyways?"

As Mako let her go she stepped around him.

"Oh, just wanted to check up on you. I know you've been going through some hard times lately…" Korra said.

"I'm fine. My father is in jail, and I'm okay with that. In the meantime, the company is mine now, and I'm going to do all I can to right the wrongs he made." Asami said.

"That's not all is it…?"

"It is." She replied turning away.

"Well what are the renovations for?" Bolin asked.

"I'm trying to eliminate every sign that my father was ever here." Asami said. "If I have to tear the whole place down and rebuild it, so be it."

"We can help!" Bolin said.

"Yea, if you're breaking stuff we can definitely help out." Korra said planting one of her fists in her palm.

"Sure." Asami said. "Let's go in and get something to drink though, I'm parched."

They went inside to see half of the house was already torn down. The other half was still in place though, and the butler quickly poured them all cold drinks. Asami gave explicit instructions though, and no drink was given to Mako.

"I don't get it." He whispered to Korra. "How can she be totally okay with you, but she's so mad at me?"

"I don't know. Get over it and fix it." Korra replied.

"But I don't know how…"

"I love you Mako, but this is _your _problem. I don't know how to fix it."

He sighed.

"Fine, I'll figure it out somehow."

_Somehow…_

After their drinks, they all went outside to start trying to get to work. As usual, Asami didn't talk to Mako at all as she distributed everyone to destroy the walls. He figured it out though, and worked on the south wall, destroying it with large fireballs and lightning, as he tried to figure out what to do about Asami.

_I cheated on her as we were drifting apart and now she hates me… what do I do? _Mako thought. _Lucky Korra, she has past lives to consult and I've got nothing. Well, either way, I need to get her to sit down and talk to me…_

He continued to think on it as he continued on the wall.

* * *

A young woman sat at the center of the pro-bending arena. It was quiet and dark around her. Security had been lax, and she had been able to easily get past them. She meditated as she sat there, thinking on what she had returned here to Republic City for. She'd come here for revenge. Revenge against the one who had caused her so much strife when she was young.

She'd practiced so hard to become strong enough to do this. She had been around the world, she had studied, she had suffered… and she had been reborn. Reborn as one strong enough to take on any who would oppose her in her objective. She had even killed a man in cold blood during an Agni Kai in order to make sure she had the mettle to do what she had come here to do.

She had not known the man. She had not known if he had a family. But it had not mattered, the act had served its purpose. It had made her stronger. It had made her stronger inside. It had made sure she was able to do it when the moment came. For when she struck, she would strike with no hesitation and no regret.

She had come here to seize vengeance, and she would have it.

Suddenly though, there was a voice behind her.

"Hey, you're not supposed to be in here." She stood and turned about to find a small man in one of the preparation rooms for the teams. She grinned at the one who challenged her. She moved with speed and agility, and send two long streams of fire from her hands around the man. Then she pulled her hands in, creating a large arc of fire. This caused the man to trip forward, and he fell, just barely missing the stone outcropping on the bottom and slamming into the water.

"Ah, so he is lucky after all." She said. She quickly used firebending to jet her way back to one of the rooms as she prepared to leave. She knew the one she was seeking had been here, and not long ago either. He had been here to fight as a pro-bender. He who she wanted to kill… and he who she now knew the name of after so many years of searching.

Mako. That was his name.

The name of her target.

The name of the one who she would kill.


	2. Chapter 2: Unexpected

**Book 2: Revenge**

* * *

**Chapter 2: Unexpected**

* * *

Korra finished her wall with all speed and wiped the sweat from her brow as she looked with a smile at the shattered remains of it. She clapped her hands together as if to dust them off and turned around to return back to the house. No one else seemed to be finished yet, and she wondered who to go help. She remembered Mako's plea for help earlier. She rolled her eyes and turned towards Asami's wall.

_Why do I feel like I'm gonna regret this…? _She thought. She sighed and walked off towards her. When she arrived, she saw Asami about halfway done bashing through her wall with the mech.

"Hey Asami." Korra called. Asami turned her mech about, the cockpit already open this time.

"Hey Korra, you finished already?" She asked.

"Yea, need some help?"

"Sure, if you can finish a wall that fast it should be easy."

Korra quickly turned towards the wall and quickly used earthbending to split a part of the wall into three short columns. She then used earthbending to press each one down until it crumbled and collapsed. Asami moved onto the next part and smashed a large section clean off with the mech's powerful arm.

"Hey… Asami. I was wondering if I could talk to you about something." Korra said scratching her head. Asami turned the mech around to look at her.

"Sure Korra, what is it?" She asked.

"It's just um… you've been treating Mako kinda badly since we got here. I was wondering if you could just sit down and talk to him for a little…"

"No." She replied instantly.

"I don't think you're being fair. It's my fault to, but you seem to treat me normally…"

"It's not your fault Korra. He cheated on me, not you."

"Yes, but he cheated on you _with _me. You don't blame me for that… at all?"

"No Korra. Mako was my boyfriend, it was his decision on whether or not to be loyal to me. He chose not to be. The least he could've done was talk to me first, but no, he went out and kissed you first. Even when we were dating during the pro-bending competition."

"That's the thing… I kinda kissed him."

"Did he kiss back?"

"Well… yea…"

"Well there you go." Asami turned around and started to get back to the wall.

"Please Asami. Could you talk to him and just try to resolve the things going on between you two?" Korra said. "I mean, if it was just him then big deal. But me and Bolin are caught up in this to."

Asami sighed.

"Fine Korra, I'll talk to Mako. Can we get back to work now?"

"Yea… hehehehe." She said scratching her head again. She quickly moved to assist in taking down the wall again.

* * *

Mako continued to work his wall. He concentrated large fireballs into his hands and then released them into the wall. Lighting also assisted with the stronger sections. It was hard grueling work, but he proceeded with little difficulty. Several minutes passed as he continued to work on the wall, and eventually Bolin walked up.

"Hey big bro, still going huh?" He asked.

"Yea. I guess firebending isn't as good for this job." Mako replied.

"Here, let me help you."

"Sure."

Bolin quickly used earthbending to smash down a part of the wall. He looked at his big brother smiling.

"Score."

"Yea we'll see about that…" Mako started to say.

"Bro watch out!"

"Huh?"

Suddenly he felt it, the hairs on his neck standing on end as a burst of heat approached. Bolin moved quickly and raised a wall in front of him to block the firebending blast.

"Wow, thanks."

"No problem."

Suddenly though there was another barrage of fire blasts and the wall quickly broke. Mako was ready this time and he used firebending to disperse the fire as Bolin stopped the rocks from flying in his brother's face before dropping them to the ground. They finally saw their attacker, at first she was covered in the shadow of the wall, but she stepped out to see them.

She had short black hair, green eyes, and was wearing a black shirt and black pants. She was set into a firebending form, seemingly waiting to strike them again.

"Who are you?" Mako asked.

"You wouldn't know me. But I know you Mako. I know you." She replied. She quickly punched her fists into the air to send a dual blast of fire balls at Mako. He met the two with his own and charged repeatedly firing back. She dispersed each one swiftly before dodging by falling backwards onto the ground using her hands to elevate her body about the ground. She pushed both feet forwards sending a large ball of fire in their direction.

Mako and Bolin both dodged the attack and Bolin responded by dragging the ground out from under their assailant with earthbending. But she was swift and she quickly used the momentum from the sliding of the ground to backflip and unleash a spinning jet of flame with her legs towards the now close Mako. He quickly dispersed the flame, but this left him open to attack for a second and she responded with two fireballs.

Bolin quickly used earthbending to raise a wall to intercept the attack and then lowered it so his brother could deliver a spinning kick of firebending. But she grabbed the base of his foot and threw him behind her. Bolin used the opportunity to raise a few rocks from the ground and shoot them at her, but she destroyed them using firebending before raising her leg for a slicing kick into the side of Mako's arm as he attempted a counter-attack.

As she looked in the other direction, Bolin charged. As he approached her though, the woman tripped Mako into standing in the path of his brother's attack. As Bolin slid to a stop, the woman's bending form suddenly changed. It looked familiar as well as she put two hands together and slammed them into Mako's chest as he staggered about.

An airbending blast was released from her hands, sending Mako flying backwards into his brother as they slid away and rolled.

"Did she just…?" Bolin started to ask as they stood up.

"Yea, I think she did just airbend." Mako replied.

"But… that's impossible… she was just firebending."

"I know."

"Only Korra should be able to bend more than one element like that…!"

"I know!"

The woman moved with speed and ferocity sending first a wave of fire and then air at them. Mako was the only one standing, so he quickly dispersed the fire before it could hurt them, but the air blast slammed into his chest and sent him flying backwards. He grunted in pain as he landed and rolled again.

Bolin stood up and set rocks flying at her. She easily popped them out of the air with firebending and then aimed a slightly weaker air blast a Bolin that made him stagger. She then stepped forward into a ferocious firebending assault that he only barely managed to block by popping up rocks to defend himself as the blasts kept coming.

But he just kept losing ground and eventually she ran straight up to him and kicked him to the ground. Putting her foot on his chest. She looked up at Mako who was still trying to stand up and defend his brother.

"Leave him alone!" He yelled sending a fireball at her which she easily dispersed, it almost hurt Bolin and he stopped. Bolin tried to stand up, but the woman pushed him fiercely into the ground with her foot and pointed her fist at him.

"Um… a little help bro?" He called.

"I'm coming!" Mako called back.

"Now I'll do it to you as well." She said. "I'll make you feel the same pain I felt again. The pain of losing someone close to you. The pain of losing family."

"No! You leave him alone!" Mako yelld running towards her. But he wasn't fast enough, and the woman began to strike. Suddenly though, a rock tower exploded out of the ground next to her and sent the woman flying into the wall. She fell down to the ground afterwards and stood up as Korra and Asami ran up.

"What's going on? Who's she?" Korra asked.

"I don't know, but watch out! She's strong!" Mako replied assuming a bending stance.

"She can firebend _and _airbend." Bolin said standing up and getting into a stance as well. Korra stood there to. The woman was already back in her bending stance, watching the situation.

"What? That's impossible!"

"Apparently not." Mako said.

"Who are you?" Korra asked. "Tell me now or I swear I will blast you right on the spot!"

"Korra, be careful."

"Ah yes, the other one he cares about." She said. She smiled. "It seems that I'm outmatched in this situation however. Very well, I surrender."

She dropped out of her bending stance and raised her hands over her head. They dropped their guard a bit, and this was their mistake. She quickly unleashed a wave of fire and then air in their face. Korra dispersed both and then leapt to protect Asami from it. Mako dispersed the fire and was then knocked back by the air. Bolin raised a wall of earth to protect himself.

When the attack had finally past, they looked back at where she had been, but she was gone.

"What was that all about?" Asami asked. "Who was that Mako?"

"I don't know." He replied.

"She just attacked us out of nowhere. She almost hurt Pabu when she stepped on me like that…" Bolin said. "You okay buddy?"

The fire ferret crawled out of his shirt and onto Bolin's head.

"Are you sure Mako?" Asami asked. "She was targeting you, but why?"

"She said… something about the pain of losing family."

"Yea, when she tried to kill me." Bolin said. "Thanks for saving me Korra."

"As always." Korra said smiling. "But why would she hate you for something like that? The pain of losing family?"

"She said… again." Mako said. "She must know something about the death of my parents."

"I'm more worried about how she can bend more than one element." Korra said. "That should be impossible for anyone but me. I've… never heard of anything like it."

"I see you're talking to me now." Mako interrupted looking at Asami.

"Someone just tried to kill you! To kill Bolin!" Asami replied. "I may not like you but I don't want you dead Mako."

"Um… we're standing right here guys." Bolin said.

"Enough everybody." Korra said. "I need time to think. We should head home to Air Temple Island. Maybe Tenzin knows something about this."

Mako sighed.

"Alright Korra." Mako said and then he looked at Asami. "But later, we need to talk."

"Yea, whatever you say." She said turning and walking away.

"Wait a second, shouldn't she come back with us?" Bolin asked.

"I can take care of myself Bolin." Asami called over her shoulder.

"Yea, the woman was targeting Mako anyways." Korra replied. "She should be fine."

"If you say so." Bolin said.

"Now let's get back, all of this is just crazy."

As they returned to Air Temple Island, night fell over Republic City. As they were ferried across the water, the lights started to come on and Mako stepped up next to Korra as she looked across the water to the city.

"Appreciating the sights?" Mako asked.

"Yea, it's… calming somehow." Korra replied. He put his arm over her shoulder.

"I know the feeling." Mako replied.

"Well, you would. I'm not the one who has a hysterical killer after me."

"That… doesn't make me feel better."

"It wasn't supposed to."

They both laughed.

"I love you Korra."

"I love you to Mako… and don't worry. I won't let anything happen to you."

"I know you won't."

They kissed lightly as the boat kept across the water.

* * *

Air Temple Island was pretty much empty when they arrived. Everyone except for a few acolytes were apparently in bed. Mako and Bolin went to their rooms while Korra headed for the kitchen to find Tenzin struggling to cap a bottle for Rohan.

"Pesky thing…" He whispered to himself.

Pema was holding a crying Rohan as Tenzin struggled, but smiled as Korra stepped in.

"Hi Korra." Pema said.

"Hi Pema. I'm sorry, but I need to borrow Tenzin." Korra said. Tenzin looked up and at her.

"What is it Korra?"

She gave him a glance looking very serious.

"Oh, this is serious huh? Well, um… maybe just hold on a second." Tenzin said.

"Don't worry about it Tenzin, I'll take care of it." Pema said walking up and giving him a kiss on the cheek.

"If you say so Pema, tell me if you need anything."

"Don't need you to dote on my honey…" She said. Using one hand to instantly twist closed the bottle Tenzin had been struggling with. Korra grinned as she Tenzin sighed inwardly frustrated.

"Come on Korra." He said. She reassumed her serious look as the stepped outside to stare across the water. "What is it?"

"We were attacked today when visiting Asami's…"

"Attacked? By who? Is everyone alright?" Tenzin asked jumping from a lax position to a surprised one.

"Yea, we're fine." Korra said. "That's not the biggest problem though."

"What could be worse?" He asked.

"She did something, something that should be impossible." She said.

"What?"

"She could firebend… _and _she could airbend."

His eyes went wide with surprise.

"That shouldn't be possible. Are you sure?"

"I wouldn't be telling you otherwise." She replied. "Are you sure you've never heard of this happening before?"

"I'm sure." Tenzin said. "Only the Avatar has ever been reported to be able to bend more than one element."

"There's something else, she wants to kill Mako, or at least cause him huge emotional pain." Korra said. "She seems to want revenge for something."

"For what?"

"I don't know. She said something about the pain of losing family, but she ran away before I could get any more out of her."

"We need to bring the police in on this."

"I know we do." Korra said. "I'll talk to Lin tomorrow."

"In the meantime, you should try and contact my father. Maybe he knows something that can help." Tenzin said.

"I'll do that." Korra replied.

"But, the pain of losing family… do you think he killed someone? Someone close to her?"

"No… he couldn't have done that."

"Not everybody is exactly who they seem to be Korra, remember that."

He walked away.

"He couldn't have…" She repeated to herself.

* * *

Asami stared at the ceiling of her bedroom as she thought about the events of the day. The satisfaction she had drawn from destroying a lot of the property, the fear of the events that had transpired when the woman had attacked Mako and Bolin… but most of all, Mako saying they had to talk. She wasn't sure what he could possibly say that would change her mind. She still cared about him… she supposed she always would… but he had betrayed her. He hadn't even had the decency to break up with her before going to be with someone else.

Still, this wasn't something she wanted to think about… so she attempted to go to sleep. But as she did this, she heard a sound. An innocuous one from out in the hallway. The butler was back at home by now, so it could not be him… and since her father was in jail, she lived all alone now. She reacted instantly, opening the drawer next to her and grabbing the electrified glove out of it.

As she did this though, the door was blown in with firebending and the woman was there. Asami noticed in a brief second that the woman was curiously wearing some kind of pouch around her hip this time. Still, she focused on getting the glove on. It was too late though, the woman was fast making for a swinging kick of firebending that swatted the glove out of her hand. Asami was forced to bend backwards to dodge the blast, but she used her hands and quickly was back on her feet on the other side of the bed.

She weaved as the woman sent fire blasts at the wall behind her setting it on fire. Asami quickly charged forward in an attempt to punch the woman, but she popped the cap off the pouch on her hip… and waterbended a stream over Asami's hand and froze it, preventing her from moving. The woman then landed a swift kick across her face sending Asami crashing to the floor to the sound of broken ice.

No doubt she had thought this would knock Asami out cold as she started to bend the ice back into water and get it back into her pouch. But she was wrong, Asami managed to retain consciousness and rolled into a side wall. Realizing that she was at a disadvantage here, she rushed and jumped through her glass window and down onto the grounds with a roll.

The woman was after her immediately, jumping out onto the grounds and immediately falling into a set of fire blasts. When Asami dodged them all she waterbended the water out of the grass all around them and turned them into ice spikes that she sent at Asami. She used her martial arts skills to knock a few of the spikes out of the air and dodged the rest with a roll towards the woman. The woman quickly waterbended at her, but Asami quickly dodged under and landed a swift kick to the center of her chest.

Her observational skills noted that the woman only seemed to be able to bend fire and water right now, not air or she would've used it by now. But still, she concentrated on hitting the woman.

"Ah, you're pretty good for a non-bender with no chi-blocking skills." The woman said grinning as she dodged a flurry of blows from Asami. But then she put a serious look on her face. "But now, it's over."

The woman put a fire blast into the side of Asami's stomach burning right through her clothes and injuring her skin. She screamed and stepped backwards before being punched across the face and onto the ground. As her consciousness started to fade the woman stepped up to her.

"Don't worry. I'm not going to kill you. No… I have plans for you." She said. Asami's vision faded to black.


	3. Chapter 3: Of Auzon and Rukar

**Um, I do appreciate reviews guys. It will make me write faster the more encouragement I get…**

* * *

**Book 2: Revenge**

* * *

**Chapter 3: Of Auzon and Rukar**

* * *

Korra sat alone on the pavilion where they would always meditate. She glanced at the moon for a moment before taking a deep breath and closing her eyes.

"Aang, I need your help." She whispered. She felt like a wind passed over her and when she opened her eyes, Aang was sitting before her. He already knew what she wanted, but she asked him anyways. "Have you ever heard of anyone but the Avatar being able to bend more than one element before?"

He shook his head.

"I do not. But there is more weighing on your heart then that I can see." He replied.

"Yea. It's just… this thing with Mako. Could he have killed someone? In cold-blood I mean, not self-defense. That woman wants revenge for the death of someone close to her, and she's sure he did it. I don't know what to do. How do I ask him about it without him feeling betrayed?"

"Korra, love is important. But do not let it blind you to your duty, and do not let it blind you to what my son told you… not everyone is as they seem to be at first glance. Every person has layers beneath what they project to the world." He said. "If Mako truly loves you Korra, then he won't feel betrayed for long, and he will come back."

"But… what about me? If he's done that… I don't know. Could I still love him? Could I still love him if he's a killer?" Korra asked.

"That Avatar Korra, is a question you need to answer yourself." He replied. She sighed.

"Other than that though, are there any of my past lives that know anything about this?"

"Look inside yourself Korra, and you'll find what you seek."

He disappeared. She leaned back and stared at the moon again thinking.

_Mako… are you really the person I thought you were?_

She shook it off, this was something she would have to think about later. She took a deep breath, and looked inside of herself again.

"Do any of you know anything about this?" She whispered. A few seconds passed with nothing happening and she was about to abandon the effort when she felt something. A warm feeling swept across her body and it felt like her entire body was vibrating. She opened her eyes to find them glowing, but she could tell she wasn't in the Avatar State. Suddenly though, it all faded, and stopped. "What was…?"

Suddenly though, it was like a gust that only she could feel passed over her and blue tendrils of spirit energy suddenly started reaching from her body to a spot in front of her. They worked quickly, moving to assemble the form of an old man with all speed. He was standing, and he opened his eyes to look down at her. He was wearing some kind of robe unlike any clothes she'd ever seen before.

"Who… who are you?"

"I am Avatar Rukar Korra. I was the first."

"The first what?" She asked.

"The first Avatar."

* * *

Asami woke slowly upon a cold metal floor. She groaned in pain as aches burst through her body. Strangely though, she felt nothing from where she had been burned in the stomach. She opened her eyes slowly blinking before sitting up from her position on the floor. She found that she was in hand and leg cuffs. She struggled against them to no avail. Her wound had apparently been healed.

"You won't be escaping from those." The woman said. She was sitting on a stool right in front of her. Asami looked around, seeing that she was in some kind of dimly lit cave. It appeared to have been created with bending, as she could not recall ever seeing anything like this anywhere in the city. "Also yes, I did heal your wound. I don't have anything to gain from you being injured at the moment."

"Where are we…?" Asami asked.

"Oh, but that would be telling…" The woman said turning around to look at her prisoner. "Just kidding. We're somewhere under the city, but don't worry, we won't be here long."

"What do you mean? Let me go. The entire police force is going to be hunting you. I'm the CEO of the largest company in the city."

"I know, and I don't care. They can't stop me. As you've seen, I'm too strong for those weaklings." She replied. "As for what I mean, I mean that we aren't going to be staying in the city much longer. No, we're going to be leaving. I want Mako to struggle and suffer before reaching me."

"Oh, and you think you can just cart me around wherever you like? I don't think so. I'll get away. You'll see." Asami answered angrily. "Besides, Mako doesn't care about me anymore. So why would you kidnap me?"

"Oh, he may not be your boyfriend anymore, but I have no doubt he cares. He's just that kind of person." The woman said. "He'll come, and when the time arrives, he'll die."

"No he won't. I know the real reason you kidnapped me. I was your last option. There was no way you could take on Avatar Korra, and you were too scared to take on Mako with Bolin at his side."

The woman laughed.

"Well, you're partially right. The Avatar is a bit strong for me. I'm pretty sure I could take her though. Bolin though? I'm not scared of him or his brother. Still, that would probably mean killing Mako early, and there's potential for so much more suffering then just that… Originally, I just wanted to kill him. But now… I want him to feel pain."

"Why are you doing this?" Asami asked.

"Do you not think I know why you're asking all of these questions?" The woman asked.

"No, I don't. I think you know, but I know you'll answer them anyways. You want people to know these things. You want them to know why. You want them to agree with you." She said. "Well, news flash sister. No one will ever agree with you."

This made her angry.

"Don't you think you know me!" She half-screamed at Asami. She got up and stepped right up to Asami's face. "You don't know anything about me."

She flexed her hand, and suddenly all of the air left Asami's lungs no matter how hard she tried to keep it in. She felt herself suffocating suddenly as the woman held the air outside of her lungs.

"You're right that I will tell you everything you want to know…" She continued as Asami continued to suffer from a lack of air, writhing on the floor. "…but you are wrong about the reasons…"

She bent down to stare at Asami face to face again.

"…_dead _wrong."

The woman stood up and held the air for a moment. Asami was starting to black out now. But then she released it, and Asami was finally able to draw deep and harsh string of breaths and coughs. The woman turned around and walked away a bit, inspecting the walls for no apparent reason.

"You… you're crazy…" Asami said.

"I know."

"Who… who are you?"

"Names are such fickle things. But I do have one." The woman said. She stopped, and she turned around to look at her prisoner again. "It's Auzon, and don't you forget it."

* * *

"What…? The first Avatar?" Korra asked to make sure.

"Yes Avatar Korra, the first Avatar, and I know how this woman who is assaulting you is doing what she is doing." Rukar replied.

"Can you tell me?" Korra asked standing up.

"Better. I can show you." He said. He walked up to her, and she closed her eyes instinctively as Rukar placed his right hand on her shoulder and his left on her forehead. Images flowed into her mind, and suddenly she was standing there watching events unfold with Rukar standing next to her.

A young boy, no older than six, stood there watching waterbenders practice. They were using a bending form Korra was completely unfamiliar with, and she was fascinated.

"Is that you?" She asked.

"Yes." Rukar said.

"How long ago was this?"

"It was thousands of years ago Avatar Korra. Thousands of years, and hundreds of Avatar's before you. In this time, the Avatar did not exist. In this time, all of the lands were united as one. In this time, bending was new… and unfamiliar."

"New?" Korra asked. "Haven't we always been able to bend?"

"No. Before bending the elements, we bent the energy within ourselves. Before that, I do not know. Here, in my time, energybending was a more common ability… even more than being able to bend the elements. But me, I was fascinated with the elements. I spent my days journeying around trying to see and watch bending in all of its forms."

"What about your parents?"

"They died a year before this. I had to learn how to live on my own. So I decided to learn waterbending."

"Decided? Weren't you born a waterbender?" Korra asked. He shook his head.

"Back then there was no division between the four nations. We chose an element and a philosophy, and we stuck with it until we mastered it." Rukar said. "Once we did, we would no longer be able to change ourselves. To shape ourselves into anything but what we had become."

"So… anyone could become a bender?" Korra asked.

"Yes. The same applies to your time Korra."

"What? But how? The people of my time are born with their abilities, they don't become it because they want to. That's just who they are."

Rukar shook his head.

"This is a false assumption. People become benders because they have the determination and will to do it. They become benders of the nation or land they live in, because growing up around that form teaches them that that is the only way. Bending is all about the chi and energy in one's body Korra, and determination and will allows one to shape it however they will… and this shape is what allows one to become a bender."

"But what about you?" Korra asked. "You were just like everyone else, how did you manage to learn how to bend more than one element?"

"Ah, but we're getting ahead of ourselves Avatar Korra. The whole story must be known before you can understand. I practiced hard to study waterbending… over several years, I slowly progressed and by the time I hit age sixteen, I was nearly a master at the art."

The images in front of them shifted as he spoke. Showing him learning how to bend water and slowly mastering it, sometimes in duels with others, until he eventually was better than anyone he faced.

"Being a master at waterbending, I wanted to exercise my skills against others. I traveled to the great cities of the world and entered into dueling tournaments."

"Dueling?" Korra asked.

"These were tournaments in which both benders and non-benders would fight until a victor was decided. This could be anything from a gesture of surrender to the death of the opponent." Rukar said.

"Duels to the death?" She asked.

"Sometimes, yes. Safety precautions were taken, but with no-holds-barred matches death was an unavoidable fact of the duel." He replied. The images shifted as he spoke now. Images of schools, of death, of travel… "I am not proud of those times. I took many lives. I spared all I could, but hesitation would've meant death for me instead.

"But as I did this, I began to become fascinated with the other elements. Their movements, forms, and philosophies. I abandoned the duel then, and became akin to a nomad. I indeed traveled with some airbending nomads for quite a while, learning their forms until I had mastered them. Then came earth, and finally fire.

"While not all of it was knowledge I could apply to my own bending, it was knowledge, and that was always valuable to me. But as I mastered all of these forms of bending even without actually being able to bend them, I realized now at the age of thirty, that I wanted to know why any person could only bend a single element. I traveled to schools around the world seeking my answers.

"I read books, studied charts of the human bodies, and looked everywhere until I finally found my answer."

"What was it?" Korra asked. Five pictures appeared before them. "What are these?"

"These are charts of the human body studying the paths of chi in every form of bender and a non-bender. Do you see how they're different Avatar Korra?" He asked.

"Yea…" She replied studying each pictures. "Each one has these bulges on them, what do they mean?"

"These bulges are points where chi gathers in the body and rotates, just as chakra's do."

"The non-benders don't have any…"

"Exactly. So I concluded that bending came from these spiraling points of chi." Rukar replied. "From that point on, I made it my objective to learn how to re-shape my chi paths. It took many years of meditation, nearly twenty, before I finally managed to do it. Nearly all of this time, my waterbending was locked to me… but when I finished… it was worth it."

The image shifted to a picture of Rukar, much older now, bending a rock and putting it through a wall.

"You learned how to earthbend!" Korra exclaimed.

"Yes I did." Rukar replied. "But as before, I noticed that my waterbending was gone now. But now I knew how to re-shape my chi paths. It took hours each time, but eventually I was able to shift elements at will. My knowledge of the forms didn't provide me complete mastery of each when I switched to them, but it was certainly of assistance."

"But… you could only bend a single form at a time." Korra replied.

"Yes, this was what I was frustrated with. My curiosity drove me ever further. I had to learn how to shape my chi paths to accommodate multiple elements at a time. It took me another year to learn how to do this, and at first it was weak. But I knew how to bend two elements at once. I wanted ever more though, and next was three, and then finally four." Rukar said. "The problem was that every time I added on an element, it would take ever more concentration and time to shape my chi paths. But finally, when I reached four... that was it. Sooner rather than later, my bending powers became great as I was a master of all four elements."

"You became the first Avatar…"

"No." Rukar said. "The Avatar isn't about being able to bend the elements Avatar Korra. It's about more than that, a sum of all of our abilities, being able to bend the elements is the least of them. We are the bridge between our world and the spirit world. We protect both of these worlds at any cost to ourselves. We are protectors, defenders… At the time I managed to harness the four elements, that was not my goal. My goal was knowledge at any cost. But once I had that knowledge, I knew not what to do with it.

"Whether you consider it lucky or unlucky, the thing that finally brought me to become the Avatar was the war… the war that began the four nations."

* * *

"So your name is Auzon… that's a fire nation name." Asami said.

"Does it matter?" Auzon responded.

"I suppose not." Asami replied. "But answer me this, if my reasons are wrong, what is the real reason you're answering my questions?"

"Because I want you and everyone to know why I did what I did, why I'm doing what I'm doing. My side of my family is disgraced enough as it is… it would be better that you and everyone else knew I had a justifiable reason."

"Why then? Why are you doing this?"

"Because Mako killed my father."

Asami looked shocked at this revelation.

"Mako… would never kill anyone." She said.

"Maybe you don't know him as well as you think you do." Auzon replied.

"You… you said before that your side of your family is disgraced. Why? What family do you belong to?"

"You know, I think there is an easy way to clarify this to you." Auzon said looking at her and glaring. "My Grandmother… her name was Azula. Princess Azula."


	4. Chapter 4: Vengeance

**Book 2: Revenge**

* * *

**Chapter 4: Vengeance**

* * *

"A war?" Korra asked.

"Yes." Rukar said. "As I learned and progressed, tensions built around me that I ignored. The world was changing, four philosophies clashed as anger built with no one to stop the turmoil. As I studied and learned in isolation, a war began. When I was finally done learning, and stepped out, the world was burning as four sides fought."

Images cycled before them. Burning towns and villages, distant battlefields, and displaced families.

"At first, I was unsure of what to do. When I saw the state the world had fallen into, I wanted to help. But almost immediately, I realized that there was no right side. There were others though, they wanted harmony, and I decided that I would have to fight with them if I was to restore the world to its former state… and fought I did. But to no avail, no matter how much we struck and plotted, nothing helped and nothing worked.

"We tried to reason with them, and when that didn't work, we tried to fight them. There weren't enough of us though, and as the forces I was allied with eroded further and further… hope of harmony dimmed more and more. They looked to me for leadership, and although I lead them with all I had… we only experienced temporary success and then further setback."

"What did you do?" Korra asked.

"The only thing I could, I kept fighting even though the situation seemed hopeless." Rukar replied.

More images. This time of people, of men with determination losing hope as Rukar stood at their front. Their numbers slowly dwindling as time passed.

"But you won, didn't you?" Korra asked.

"Not at first no. We fought for years, and the war only seemed to grow worse. But, little did they know that this war was hurting the spirits as much as it hurt us." Rukar replied. "They wanted to act, but they weren't sure how."

"They turned to you?"

"Not at first no, first something else happened."

"What?" Korra asked.

"I died." Rukar replied.

* * *

Asami blinked at Auzon. They sat in silence for what seemed like several seconds.

"Well…? Aren't you going to say something? Aren't you surprised?" She asked.

"Maybe at first." Asami replied. "But then I suppose crazy runs in the family."

"My father wasn't like that. He was good. I would've grown up to be just like him if I could've. But Mako killed him first." Auzon replied. "So I grew up on feelings of revenge and hatred, only to find that these feelings suited me just as much. Maybe crazy does run in the family… but if it means I can have my revenge, then so be it."

"Instead of keeping on telling me about how Mako killed your father, why don't you just tell me what happened?"

"You want to hear the story? Well, fine then. The story begins around the time my father was born fifty-five years ago. I don't know anything about my Grandfather… all I know is that Azula never married even after you got out of the insane asylum. You might think Azula was a bad mother, but no. She was a good one. She raised my father right, or so I was led to believe.

"My father said he loved my mother and she loved him… maybe that was why she treated him so much differently than she treated everyone else… I don't know. My father was a firebender, and she taught him. I would've learned more than I did from my father, but that chance was stolen from me. The problem though was that Azula wasn't a princess anymore, and her name was disgraced. She raised my father in poverty in the fire nation. Maybe that's why she died so fast… I'm not sure. But when my father turned twenty, she died from natural causes. Or so the waterbender healers told him.

"He moved to Republic City after that. At first he had a successful business going running one of the first power plants. Ten years later, he married my mother… and three years after that I was born. My mother died from a terminal illness when I was two, I never knew her. The first few years of my childhood were great. We had everything we needed, and my father loved me. But when I turned five, everything went wrong. My father was driven out of business by a competitor, and sooner rather than later, we were on the streets. In the safety of a business, our family had not mattered. But on the streets, it was different. We were shamed, turned away from every shelter for the homeless, every place to get food and sleep…

"I still loved my father. I still loved my childhood. He took care of me, even at cost to himself. He had to do things though. He had to work for the triads and commit crimes just to keep us alive. I may not have learned everything my father could teach me, but I learned plenty growing up on those streets. I learned how to defend myself. My father was the only thing that kept me going back then, even by the time I turned twelve. That was the worst year of my life."

* * *

"You… died?" Korra asked. Rukar nodded.

"Luckily though, it did not last for long. My death allowed the spirits to contact me and my body, and they told me their plan even as I held in timeless bliss. They told me that both our world and their world needed a protector. They told me that this would be me. They noticed that I had tremendous bending skill, and this lent me the power to affect change. But that with their power, I would also have the power to keep balance in the world. They spoke of the world needing division to have harmony; that people weren't ready to live as one people yet." Rukar replied. "They spoke of lending me the aid of the spirits. They spoke of bonding my spirit to a never-ending cycle so that someone would always be here to protect our worlds. They spoke of someone who would keep the balance against all odds."

"You accepted."

"Yes, I did." Rukar answered. "It was such then, that I was reborn. The spirits lent me aid, and I fought renewed. More and more joined me as they noticed that I had the support of the spirits, and with that, I ended the war in one year. After that, I told them of the spirits speaking for the need for division, and with this, the four nations were created. The Water Tribe, the Earth Kingdom, the Fire Nation, and the Air Nomads. With that, I became the Avatar. A protector of both our world, and the world of the spirits. Thus, the cycle was created, and forevermore the Avatar would serve the world."

"What makes the Avatar able to bend all four elements so easily though? Your spirit?" Korra asked.

"That is partially it. Another is that because of the spirits assistance in the cycle, the Avatar is born with all of the chi paths necessary for every form of bending open to them. It's one reason the Avatar is able to bend from a younger age than most. Children usually spend years unconsciously altering their chi paths so that they can bend, if they have the will, they succeed. If they don't and they don't become benders."

The images faded around them, and they were back on the pavilion.

"There's something else." Korra said.

"What is it?" Rukar asked.

"That woman. She was in her early twenties. How did she master an ability that took you so many years to learn how to control?" She asked.

"I do not know, but anything is possible. She must be some kind of prodigy."

"I understand… all of it."

"No Korra, not yet. Do you know why I told you the whole story and not just what you needed to know?" Rukar asked. Korra was at a loss. "I thought not. I told you the whole story, because you needed to realize that being the Avatar is not just about the elements. It's about preserving the balance of the world."

"Are you saying… that Auzon is disrupting this balance just by existing? Just by having the power to bend more than one element?" Korra asked. He nodded. "I need to kill her?"

"Yes Korra. The ramifications of this are too great. Only the Avatar should have the power to bend all of the elements. If there are more, then your power to maintain balance would become meaningless. The world respects the Avatar Korra because they are the only ones able to bend all four elements, not because of our other duties." Rukar said. "While it may be the least of our abilities, it is the most important to maintain. If others were able to obtain this ability, then the respect of our position would be lost, and our ability to maintain balance weakened. This _cannot _happen."

"Can't I just take away her bending?" Korra asked.

"No." Rukar said. "Anyone with such an ability to control chi could prevent anything used to take away their bending. It wouldn't work. We cannot take the chance. You must maintain the balance of the world Korra. Remember that, and do not hesitate when the chance to strike her down presents itself."

He faded away and Korra was left standing on the pavilion speechless.

* * *

"That was the year your father died?" Asami asked.

"Yes. It was the year Mako killed him. He had me follow him that night. We needed money… we were starving and cold with nowhere to stay. The triads had no work for us, but my father promised he would find me something. I believed him. He knew I knew what he had been doing to people, and he had me follow him that night so that I knew how to do it right when eventually I was forced to the same thing. We saw a family, they took a shortcut through an alleyway. It was a woman, a man, and a child." Auzon replied.

"A child…" Asami whispered. "Oh… no. It was Mako wasn't it?"

"Yes."

"Your father murdered his parents."

"No, that wasn't what happened. It was an accident. My father tried to mug them. We just needed their money. It was all going so well. But Mako's mother, she just wouldn't have it that way. She fought back… with firebending. She attacked my father unexpectedly, and he fell back and landed on his hands. She was about to strike again, my father had to defend himself, he cast a fire blast blindly behind him and hit Mako's father.

"I charged out then, I begged them to stop but it was too late. Mako's mother was already preparing for another strike and my father had to defend himself, he struck her down before she could strike him. All we wanted was their money… we didn't intend for that to happen…"

A tear trailed down her face then as she remembered.

"I ran up to them." Auzon said. "I wanted to help, but my father could hear the police coming. He grabbed me up, and we ran away. The police… found them dead and Mako all alone. We got away, but my father… he was absorbed with guilt over what he had done. Mako found us barely a week later with his own thirst for revenge. My father… he wouldn't resist. He didn't fight back as Mako struck him down. While I bent down over my dead father, he told me his name. He made an empty apology… and then he left. I wasn't able to protect my father then. I wasn't strong enough."

"If Mako really did do that, he was justified. Your father killed his parents. It wasn't their fault that they died, it was your father. Whether you want to admit that or not." Asami said.

"How… how _dare _you." Auzon said coming up to her. She blasted Asami with air from point blank, sending her spiraling into the wall and causing her to groan with pain at impact before falling to the ground. "My father was a good man. We did what we had to do to survive. He protected himself after she attacked him and screwed everything up. If she had just done what he asked, everybody… _everybody… _would still be alive. But Mako blamed my father as much as my father blamed himself, and he killed him in cold-blood. A man who would not protect himself.

"You wouldn't know how we suffered on those streets. You grew up rich. Sure, your mother died. You still grew up with a loving father."

"Yea, and look how that turned out." Asami replied.

"You're old enough to take care of yourself now. I wasn't. I was just a kid."

"I'm sorry."

"I've had enough of empty apologies, now is my time to take action."

Asami tried to reply, but noticed that her air was getting sucked out of her lungs now. Not painfully as before, but the lack of air was still getting her.

"You can sleep now." Auzon replied. "You'll wake up in someplace new."

She blacked out again.

* * *

Korra clenched her fists and sat down in a meditative position again. She needed to talk to Mako, but first there was another thing eating at her.

"Aang… I need your help again." She whispered. Aang appeared before her.

"What is it that you need Korra?" He asked her.

"Rukar said I needed to kill her… I will if I need to… but first I need to ask you about what you did when you were told you needed to kill someone. You refused it. You didn't kill Ozai even though everyone told you to." She said. "But what about me? Is it wrong for me to kill my enemy when you wouldn't kill yours? I've always used you as an example of what I should do with my abilities… but now I'm not sure what to do."

"Korra. The Avatar's duty _is _to keep balance in the world." Aang said. Korra sighed. "But you also need to take your own thoughts and feelings in mind. I didn't kill Ozai not only because of my teachings from the monks when I grew up, but because even in the face of everyone telling me it needed to be done, I could tell it was wrong. I knew there had to be another way. Don't discount what you feel Korra. Follow your heart Korra, it will always lead you down the right path."

He faded away.

"Great, I'm even more confused than before." She whispered and tipped over until she was lying on her back. "Follow my heart…"

She stood up and dusted herself off. She still needed to talk to Mako, whether she liked it or not. It was what her heart told her she needed to do.

* * *

Lin hated paperwork, but it had to be done. A lot of it was stacked on her desk as well. This was certainly one thing she hadn't missed about her job. Captain Saikhan walked in, they had found him the day before badly injured from trying to escape from the Equalists. He had told them that once imprisoned, as Amon hadn't had the time to take their bending, him and the Metalbenders he had been captured with managed to escape and free all of the prisoners. He had blown up the entire facility using then nearby power plant. She hadn't even known he knew his way around technical devices.

"Captain Saikhan." Lin said. He was wearing his armor even though his arm was in a sling, used his other hand to salute her.

"Chief Bei Fong, I'm ready to get back to work." He said.

"No you aren't Captain, you're on leave… now go and get some rest."

"I'm getting restless mamn. Are you sure there isn't anything I could do to help?"

She sighed.

"You could help with this paperwork."

"I'll-" Saikhan started. Suddenly though, a metalbending officer barged into her office nearly breathless.

"What is it?" Lin asked standing up in all seriousness.

"There's been an incident mamn." He said.

"Go get everyone ready, I'll be right there." She replied. "I'm sorry Saikhan, but I need to go."

"I'll get working on the paperwork mamn." He replied saluting her again.

She nodded and raced out to go join her metalbenders. As she moved a squad of metalbenders assembled behind her and her temporary captain joined her at her side.

"What happened?" Lin asked.

"A few hours ago the waterbending firefighting force battled a fire at the Sato residence. Asami Sato was not found nor were any remains, and first responders from the metalbending police force found evidence of a firebender." He said. "She's missing assumed kidnapped."

"This is indeed a situation, you were right to inform me." Lin said. "You and the rest of the team scour the Sato residence and try to find any evidence you can. I'm going to head to Air Temple Island and see what they know about this."

"Yes mamn." He said. The squad of metalbenders broke off and left her alone.

_How do these kids always get themselves into these situations? _She thought.


	5. Chapter 5: Breaking Point

**Makorra fans may want to avert their eyes for this chapter. Or… well… pretty much the rest of the story. I don't like Makorra at all, and after this, very unlikely to make a return. Fair warning.**

**For everyone else, prepare for a pretty heavy telling of the story from Mako's point of view.**

* * *

**Book 2: Revenge**

* * *

**Chapter 5: Breaking Point**

* * *

Korra took a deep breath and she stepped into the boys dorms. She would've just waited until the morning, but she needed to know now. Besides, who knew what tomorrow would bring? Who knew if there was no time for her to ask? She didn't know why, but she knew she needed to know. She didn't think she could live the rest of her life with someone who could do something so plainly evil.

This made her stop in place. She may have to kill the woman. Aang told her to follow her heart, and what if her heart led her to kill the woman? What if she knew that was what needed to be done? Would she ever forgive herself?

"No. Not now." She whispered to herself. She shook the questions off. This was about Mako now, not her. It also gave her reprieve. She didn't want to ask herself these questions. It was too overwhelming.

So she put one foot in front of the other and kept walking. She knew that Mako and Bolin shared a room, and where it was, and she would get there. It seemed like time sped up for Korra then, and sooner rather than later, there she was before the door. She took another breath and raised her fist to knock, and just as she was about to push her fist forward, the door slid open. Standing there was Bolin, wearing only his drawers.

"Korra…?" He asked.

"Nice Bolin." She said starting to giggle. His cheeks flushed with blood and he hid behind the door so she could only see his head.

"Uh… hi Korra. Sorry about that." Bolin replied scratching his head with a grin.

"Don't worry about it Bolin." She said as she stopped giggling and smiled. It felt nice to laugh after all of the seriousness of that night, but she still needed to talk to Mako. "They were nice underwear."

"So… um… did you need something?" He asked. Pabu suddenly poked his head around the door from Bolin's shoulder. "Or… did you just come to see me in my underwear?"

"I was just looking for Mako. Is he here?" She asked. She looked around the door and spotted Mako, still fully clothed, reading a book on his bed. Bolin followed her eyes and looked at his brother. A lamp lit the room. He closed the book and looked up at Korra.

"Oh, hey Korra. Did you need something?" He asked.

"Yea, we… we need to talk about something. Or... um... I need to ask you something." She replied taking on a serious look.

"Oh… okay." He said putting the book down on the table beside his bed. He stood up and walked to the door.

"Good luck bro." Bolin said tapping his brother on the shoulder.

"Thanks for the vote of confidence." Mako replied with a sideways glance as he opened the door to reveal Bolin standing in his underwear again and leaving. Korra couldn't help but laugh again as Bolin grabbed the door and slid it back into a place where he was hidden.

"Yea… I'll just stay here. All by myself." Bolin said whistling. "Bye guys."

As he closed the door behind them, Korra could've sworn she heard him whisper a comment about Mako "taking all the women".

"So you needed to ask me something?" Mako asked with his hands in his pockets and averting his eyes.

"Let's not talk about this here. I don't want to disturb anyone." Korra replied.

"Uh, yea, sure."

They walked outside in silence and took spots on the pavilion. Mako seemingly knew Korra didn't want him at her side right now and stayed away as she crossed her arms and looked over the water. He didn't initiate the conversation, he just waited for her to be ready.

"I have to ask you something." Korra said.

"Yea, you said that." Mako replied looking at her. "You know you can ask me anything…"

"Yea, but this question is difficult. I… don't want you to hate me… and I'm not sure if it'll be what I want to hear either."

"I would never hate you Korra…" He said reaching a hand out and seeming to think better at it, dropping it to his side.

"I have to know though. I can't go on without knowing, and I can't choose to do the right thing without knowing all the information."

"I understand."

"No, I don't think you understand. I don't want you to treat me like your girlfriend right now Mako, I want you to treat me like the Avatar. I need you to tell me the truth, no matter how painful it is."

"I'll tell the truth Korra, but I don't think its possible form me to treat you any differently."

"Then you'll have to learn. This is the kind of thing where I can't afford to make a mistake. So promise me Mako, promise you'll tell me the truth." She turned her head slightly to look at him out of the corner of her eye. Even with such a hard angle to read her, Mako read pain in her eyes. She didn't like doing this at all.

"I promise you Korra. I promise you, _Avatar _Korra." Mako replied. He kept his eyes looking straight at her now. He couldn't let his eyes wander, and he needed to tell her the truth no matter what question she asked him. He knew this.

She turned around now. She wiped a tear from her eyes and steadied her composure. She took a deep breath for the umpteenth time and then looked him directly in the eyes with no waver.

"Did you do it?" Korra asked. "Did you kill someone close to that girl? Not just in self-defense, no. I read that it was more than that, much more."

He started to say something, and then he looked down.

"You won't like the truth Korra." Mako said before looking up.

"I was afraid of that, but I need to hear it anyways." She replied.

"I know." He replied. "It was years ago, when I was eight."

"So this does have something to do with your parent's deaths?" Korra asked.

"It has everything to do with that."

"What happened that night?"

"My mom, we needed to get home fast so that the babysitter for my brother could leave. My Dad brought me to a physician and we decided that Bolin should stay home. I was always glad for that, glad that Bolin didn't have to see what I saw." Mako said. "We took a shortcut down an alley. A man stepped out, he came up to us and he said he wanted our money. He said he was a firebender so we had better not try anything.

"I could tell though. He didn't want to hurt us, he was just desperate. I was just a kid though, I was scared, and I didn't understand. It was my Mom's fault, she fought back. She tried to fight him, and my Dad ended up getting hit by a blind shot from the fire. She stopped for a second, and this allowed the man to get up. She was about to strike him down, but he acted first. A girl charged out just before he did this, he begged them to stop. I think that's what made my Mom hesitate enough that the man struck her down.

"I was crouching down and my father's side then, crying. He was already dead, as was my mother. I took my Dad's scarf then. He'd always said to protect it, I never knew why. But I wanted to protect it just as he wanted. That girl I saw, she ran up then, she tried to help. I saw her eyes then, I'll… I'll never forget those eyes. They echoed regret, and I'm sure mine echoed grief."

"Was it…?" Korra started to ask.

"That girl we saw?" Mako asked. Korra nodded. "Yea, it was. I knew it was her the second I saw her eyes, but… I didn't want to tell you guys anything. I knew why she came to... for revenge. For what I did. What I regret to this day."

"What did you do Mako?" Korra asked. But she already knew and shock and horror were already starting to cross her face.

"I remember the police showing up… after the man took the girl and ran away. I figured out it was her father later of course. I could see the similarities between them. They had the same eyes…" He said looking away. He stepped up to the rail of the pavilion, looking out across the water as he remembered. "They took care of me for a while. I was too shocked to do anything. My parents were dead, and I felt alone. At first, I felt… grief. Pain. But… sooner rather than later… it turned into anger. It turned into a thirst for revenge. I spent the next week hunting them down as stuff happened to me and my brother, orphaned… we were thrown into the company of an orphanage.

"It was awful there. I got us out, and onto the streets. That's the point I started hunting. I asked around, and as large as this city is, I was determined enough. I found them about a week later. They were there, and the man stepped up to me. He… told me he knew what I was there for. He told me to do it." He said. "I was so angry, I couldn't restrain myself. I killed him, right there with a firebending blast straight to the chest. It wasn't strong, but it was enough. As he went down, his daughter came up. She knelled down next to him, and I saw a look in her eye. It was the same look I had seen in a mirror just after my parents died. Pain… grief…"

Korra was in tears now, backing away from Mako. He ignored her and continued, as if getting it all out would fix what he had done. She imagined he wanted to get some sort of load off of his chest.

"I looked down at my hands. I… regretted it almost immediately. Not the way you think. I… didn't regret killing him. It felt… good yet… bad at the same time. I was… angry at myself for doing the same thing that had been done to me to someone else. I got revenge… and I guess people are right. Revenge is bittersweet. It was… confusing."

"You… you killed someone Mako. You killed someone." Korra said. She was leaning backwards against the pavilion rail as the shock and confusion hit her.

"I know." He replied without looking at her. "I regret it. I regret it even more than I did before, because only now after so long do I see that killing him was wrong. He was just defending himself."

"Mako, how could you not tell me this? If not when she attacked, earlier. I'm your… I'm your girlfriend! This is important!"

He looked at her now, a bit angry.

"We've only been together for two weeks Korra. This is major. This is my life. I'm not just going to blurt out everything to you."

"I… I don't care Mako. I… I can't look at you the same way now. You're a murderer."

"He killed my family, I had a perfectly reasonable excuse! I've changed. I know that it was an accident."

"You can't regret it and yet defend what you did Mako!" Korra yelled at him.

"I still love you Korra." Mako said. He was crying now, this was the first time she had ever seen him cry. He had always seemed indomitable before, unmovable. But here he was, shaken.

"It doesn't matter Mako." She replied looking at him. "Whatever we had between us… it can't continue like this. I can't be with a murderer Mako. It's over."

She started to walk away.

"Korra! Wait!" He said starting to run after her. She flipped around swinging her arm and unleashing a blast of airbending. He was blown off his feet and onto his rear end. He tried to stand up. "I'm not the same person!"

She unleashed another blast keeping him down and looked at him.

"It's over Mako, stay down."

"But…!"

"I'm not talking about this anymore."

She turned around, and she walked away.

* * *

When Asami woke up next, she heard the sounds of nature. It was a contrast to what she had heard before, pure silence. It was muffled, but still there. She was curious as to why she wasn't thirsty, but she was still hungry. She assumed that Auzon had been using waterbending to keep her filled on water. She looked around, but her crazy captor was nowhere to be seen. She was still locked at the ankles and wrists, so mobility was low.

Still, if her captor wasn't here it was still a chance to escape. She looked around, she seemed to be in some sort of cave. A light was not far away, so she reached out forward and started to crawl towards it. It took her several minutes, but eventually she reached the mouth of the cave and smelled fresh air.

"Finally." She whispered. But suddenly a blast of firebending hit the ground in front of her, lighting the grass on fire and causing her to jump and fall backwards onto the cave floor.

"Trying to escape are we?" Auzon asked as she walked up. Asami was looking up and saw Auzon carrying a large bag and a fishing pole over her back. She held a net full of dead fish with her.

"You're a bender… why did you use a fishing pole to catch those?" Asami asked curiously.

"Sometimes I like to resort to the mundane. No point in having power if you use it for the sole purpose of being lazy." Auzon replied.

"Was the first blast really necessary?" Asami asked sitting up.

"No, but don't try to escape again. My quarrel is not with you. Don't try to escape, and I won't treat you badly. Alright?"

Asami sighed.

"Fine."

"Are you hungry?"

Asami didn't answer, but then her stomach rumbled.

"I'll take that as an answer." Auzon said. "Look, I really don't want to drag you back into the cave. If I unshackle you, will you promise not to run?"

"You'll really unshackle me?" Asami asked.

"As I said, my quarrel is not with you."

"But you said that you were going to hurt me to put Mako through pain…" Asami replied.

"Yes, but Mako isn't here to experience pain is he?" Auzon replied. "I want him to give chase first. I want him to suffer as he does so."

"What I mean is that of course I'm going to try and escape."

"Not now though right?"

"I can see that would be pointless. Without my glove there isn't any way I can beat you in a fight anyways. If I run, you can stop me."

Auzon reached into her pocket and threw Asami a key, which she used to unlock her shackles and stand up. She rubbed her wrists for a moment, and then took off sprinting. Auzon reacted quickly using airbending to sprint ahead of Asami and blasting her back into the cave and sending her rolling into a wall. She groaned as she stood up and Auzon walked back inside and glared at her.

"I had to try…"

"Well are you done? I'm hungry." Auzon replied.

"Yea, I'm done." Asami said with a sigh. She sat down in a corner as Auzon drew firewood from her pack and threw it down onto the ground before setting it on fire. She slow cooked one of the fish on a stick, and when it was finished, handed the stick to Asami. She took it and started eating with relief. "You know… you are one strange captor. I've been taken prisoner before, and it wasn't very glamorous."

"I'm not the Equalists." Auzon said putting another over the fire.

"I know, I was just saying. This isn't about bending or idealism, this is about revenge. Why can't you just let it go?"

"He didn't let it go when my father killed his parents, why should I let it go now?"

"Yea, but he just killed your father. He didn't capture and torture his friends did he?"

"You do realize that you are trying to rationalize the plans of someone who has admitted they are crazy?" Auzon asked. Asami didn't have a response for that one. "I may be crazy, but I'm committed to my goal. I'll make Mako pay, one way or another."

She smiled.

"I will tell you though… it's nice to have someone to talk to after so many years alone."

"Maybe you should've sought friendship in the first place, instead of letting your anger fester alone."

"Maybe I should've. But it's far too late for that now."

"Why didn't you try to talk to Mako first? Before you attacked him?" Asami asked. Auzon looked like she was about to say something, but stopped.

"Shut up and eat." Auzon replied. The conversation was over.

_That got to her… _Asami thought. _Maybe… maybe she's not a total loss. Maybe I can convince her to stop this… No, I won't try to escape again. I'm going to try and save this girl. If there's anything I can understand, it's a thirst for revenge at the death of a parent. Maybe that understanding will help me, maybe it won't… but I have to try._

* * *

Korra wasn't able to sleep that night at all. She just continued to stare at the ceiling of her bedroom, thinking. Had she been too harsh to Mako? Should she have forgiven him? She didn't know. All she knew was that Mako was a murderer, and it was her job as the Avatar to root out those like him. Still, she owed him everything, and that was enough that she didn't try to get him arrested. Even so, she still had feelings for him, but those feelings were overpowered with disgust and shock.

Every time she would look at his face, all she would see was a murderer. That was not something she could live with. Could they still be friends? She wasn't sure about that either. But she couldn't make him leave. Bolin was here, and it would be wrong to have her blame on Mako punish him as well. She wondered if Bolin knew as the sun rose. She certainly didn't think it would change Bolin's opinion of Mako, but still, she wondered if he knew.

Still, none of these thoughts would fix the fact that she felt betrayed... and that feeling may never fade.

Suddenly though, she stood up and looked out her window. A ferry was arriving, and she spotted a familiar face stepping off of the boat. It was Lin, she wondered what she was here for… Korra supposed she could be here to see Tenzin, but she looked serious and dead set. She was also walking with a brisk and determined pace. No, something was going on, and something told her it involved all of them.

Korra quickly dashed from the room and headed outside. She met Lin as she came up the steps.

"Lin… what are you doing here?" Korra asked. She turned and looked at Korra.

"Ah, just who I was looking for." Lin said. "Korra, we've got a problem."

"What could it be now? There have just been so many problems recently…" She replied.

"Is your friend Ms. Sato here by any chance?"

"No, she moved back to her house."

"Well then… I'm sorry to tell you this, but it looks like she's been kidnapped."


End file.
